The Gospel and Jimmy Buffett: Cheeseburger in Paradise

This Sunday's offering: Cheeseburger in Paradise

and just for fun:

The Gospel and Jimmy Buffett: Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude

A BIG thanks to Kim Scites, who came to my rescure and preached last weekend for me. Here is her take on Changes in Latitude, Changes In Attitude
And here is New Life's take on Brandon Heath's I'm Not Who I Was (Trinity folks may remember a similar version last year)

Eclectic Echoes--July 3rd

Okay--so I haven't exactly run away from anything. The last month has been extremely busy! The last two weeks, I've been at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA for my the introduction to Gospel and Culture Seminar with Mark Douglas and Martha Moore-Keish. Great classmates and great instructors! There are 12 of us who will spend the next four years exploring the connections between the gospel and culture and it was really interesting to hear the varity of projects we intend to explore!

In the meantime, updating the blog, Farmtown on Facebook, and other such things has become nigh unto impossible with school work, church responsibilities, and annual conference tasks! But hopefully, today I'll start getting back into a more normal routine (those of you know me well can quit laughing now!).

Here is just a sampling of interesting items from the past few weeks:
Need a good cry? A Taxonomy of Cinematic Crying

The Sermon Illustration Scorecard

Let's Hear it For Libraries!

Dave Barnhart's Monday Morning Hiaku: Genesis 17

11 People Every Youth Group Needs

Woodlawn UMC perserveres after fire

Top Weaknesses of Effective Pastors

Methodism by the Numbers

Peachtree Presbyterian Pastor: We'll care for any unwanted children! Reminds me of Hauerwas's comment that rather than working to outlaw abortions, the church needed to be the sort of place where abortions were unneccessary.

The Gospel is not a culture ? Kathryn Tanner would agree and says it is a style and I'm begining to agree.

O Pulpit Where Art Thou?

Dave Barnhart's Aha Moments with the Bible and More Aha Moments

UM dying faster than US average

Celebrity Worship: Admiration or Idolatry

And laughs of the week in memory
of MJ (whom I always best loved in parody)


Karl Malden


Billy Mays


Farrah Fawcett

The Gospel and Jimmy Buffett: Son of a Son of a Sailor

For a number of reasons, I do not have a manuscript for this week's sermon. (Only the second time in 10 years!) But in honor of father's day, here is my opening illustration:

The Chandlers of Chincoteaque, Virginia were another family of the sea. One brother was the keeper for the Cape Hateris lighthouse. Yet another brother, Joshua, was a sea captain who was lost at sea. I’ve been told that all that was found of Joshua after his death was his red long johns which the family buried beneath a headstone on the side of a road at the end of Chincoteague island in his memory.

And Billy—Uncle Billy—as he was affectionately called by everyone who knew him—was a Wesley Methodist preacher. By Wesley Methodist, I mean a “shouting Methodist”--A group of evangelical, charismatic Methodists that would shock most Methodist congregations today. But Uncle Billy worried that the Methodist Episcopal church wasn’t emphasizing holiness enough and so in 1887, he joined with Joseph Lynch and others in establishing the Christ's Sanctified Holy Church on Chincoteague Island, an independent church which still has about 1000 members today. It has always been an unusual church with its lack of Sacraments or ordinances (they don’t baptize or practice Holy Communion). And, even more unusual was the fact that women were not only allowed to teach men, but they were also allowed to preach in a day and age when few established church hierarchies were ordaining women.

As I said earlier, the Chandlers were a family of the sea—lighthouse keepers and ship captains. So I guess it is not too surprising that Uncle Billy’s ministry also involved the sea. In the late 1800’s, he boarded a house boat in Dover, Delaware and began a long voyage around the coast of the United States and ended in Galveston, Texas in 1900. As he sailed along the coast, he would stop and hold revival meetings all along the way.

1900 was the year of the great hurricane in Galveston. The entire city was nearly destroyed. But Uncle Billy survived by anchoring his house boat in the Gulf and taking on as many people as he could fit on the boat to ride out the flood.

I can’t remember the first time I heard stories about my great-grandfather, William Chandler. Perhaps Nanny first told them to me as she cradled me in her arms. I’ve heard the stories all my life and they are a part of who I am. I have been shaped not only by Uncle Billy, but also by his granddaughter who felt that his story was important enough to pass on to her grandchildren. Like Buffett, my life has been shaped by men of the sea and the tradition remains.

Laugh for the week

I'm not sure when I'll have time to pull together Eclectic Echoes for this week. But here is this week's Laugh of the Week: (and if you are too young to appreciate the Doors, you won't get it!)
Meet 'Weird Al' Yankovic, Stealth Pop Musicologist

Preparing for Sunday, June 21st

Changes in Attitudes: The Gospel and Jimmy Buffett
This Week: Son of A Son of A Sailor

In the grand story of the Bible, you can always count on trouble when one generation fails to pass on the story of the faith to the next generation. As we celebrate Fathers’ Day and remember the men who have shaped our lives, we will reflect on the importance on passing our faith to a new generation.

Then God spoke all these words: 2I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3you shall have no other gods before me. 4You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:1-6

1Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old 3things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us. 4We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. Psalm 78:1-4

• Jimmy Buffett said of writing this song: “I saw a picture of my grandfather after he had come back from a trip to Nova Scotia. He was born there but left when he was a young man and didn’t return until he was 84. He was standing on dock staring at an old sailing schooner, and the look on his face told the story of where he had come from and where he had been. I have always been very proud of my heritage as a sailor and wrote this for the men who taught me the skills.”
o What story will the look on our face and the shape of our lives tell about where we have come from , where we have been, and where we hope to go?
o What skills have we taught a new generation?
• Have you tried to pass along your faith?
o Have you succeeded?
o How have you failed?
o How has God worked through your efforts?
• As a congregation, how well have we told the good news to the next generation? As we approach 20 years in ministry in this community, what must we do to continue to tell the story to new generations? What must we change? And what role do you play in telling the story?

'The Shelf Of Constant Reproach': Best Books You Never Read

On NPR today, there was an interesting article, 'The Shelf Of Constant Reproach': Best Books You Never Read. So I began to think of the LARGE numbers of books I have meant to read, but somehow haven't. So here is a list of some of the best books, I've never read:

1. The Brothers Karamazov. Some have called this the greatest novel ever written. I've made it about 1/3 of the way through. Someday I'll finish it!

2. Ulysses. In honor of Bloomsday, I may as well admit I haven't read Ulysses. I have a hard enough time making it through Joyce's short stories!

3. Sound and Fury. I made it about 1/4 of the way through, but I just couldn't follow it. I did, however, make it through the Electric Kool-aid Acid test which was just about as crazy--but it was required reading.

4. Anything by D.H. Lawrence. No reason. I just haven't.

So what is on your shelf of constant reproach?

The Gospel and Jimmy Buffett: Come Monday

Come Monday

Eclectic Echoes -- June 14th

Ministry is never predictable. The last two weeks have been particularly busy with Annual Conference, two weddings, a funeral, a number of crises, and normal busyness. As a result, I have not only had time to update this blog, I've had little time for reading. But here are a few highlights of the last two weeks.

North Alabama Conference

10 Stupid Things That Keep Churches From Growing

Beards and Shaving -- so how many blades can you have on your razor and still be manly?

Tutu's daughter a force for human rights

Sex Without Intimacy: No Dating, No relationship

Some thoughts on prayer:
Connecting with God . . . No Really
What is Prayer for?
Prayer may reshape your brain . . . and your reality

Why Etiquette Ain't Just Quaint

Moist and Methodist Baptism in the UMC

The Leader as Listener

Piece Be With You

Camp Sumatanga Fights to Stay Open

Aha Moments with the Bible

US News names Auburn as a top place to live Doesn't surprise me!

Tribute to Rev. Warren Hamby

Left brained husbands and funeral food

Getting to a Different Place boundaries and ministry

Altar Calls Why? Because it allows people a variety of ways to respond to the message.

Best summer reading

What to do about our graying church

Religious citizens more involved . . . and more scarce?

The Gospel and the Gosselins

And for this week's laugh

Changes In Attitudes

Margaritaville (Pictures of the Water's Edge Parrothead Band to come)

Life with the Clontz Clan

Well, Annual Conference 2009 is behind me. Okay--it actually isn't. I still have the Business of Annual Conference questions to complete (and one DS hasn't sent me his info!) and finalize the minutes of conference (which always takes longer than I expect).

When I first began this blog, I was writing two blogs: one related to ministry and one personal. Now this one is sort of a combination of the two but it leans toward ministry and I save most of the personal stuff for facebook. But I did think today that I would post a few personal items--especially for those who aren't facebook friends.

On May 26th, my son, Phillip, graduated from Buckhorn High School. In the fall, he will be attending the University of Alabama at Huntsville majoring in Math Ed. It was a great day for our family and here are a few pictures:

I love this picture of my boys!!

Phillip and (soon to be roommate) Austin. Austin lived most of his life two doors down from us.

Love this picture of Phillip and his girlfriend, Christina. (They've been dating almost two years.)

Laura and her boyfriend, Trent, who is heading to Bama in the fall (no comment!)

Leslie, Phillip and Christina. We've known Leslie all her life. In fact, Craig went to Jr. College with her father. They live around the corner from us and we used to go on family vacations together. Leslie and Phillip started Kindergarten together and were in the same class for years.

Changes in Attitudes: The Gospel and Jimmy Buffett

This week, we are beginning a six week sermon series based on the songs of Jimmy Buffett. I borrowed this idea from my friend, Wade Griffith at Trinity UMC in Tuscaloosa, because it seemed like a good fit for a community on the river with a lot of folks who live there only on the weekends and because I do believe that Jimmy Buffett's songs ask the kinds of questions that many outside the church are asking: What gives life meaning? What happens after we make a mess of our lives? What really is the "good" life?

We are beginning with Margaritaville, the anthem of beach vacation, spring breaks and drunken parties. Yet, this song is actually anything but a celebration of the drunken lifestyle. There is great pain in many of the lyrics, such as when he praises "that frozen concoction that helps me hang on." These are the words of a man who has wasted his life on women and alcohol and now realizes that his wasted life is no one’s fault but his own.



What do we when we find that we’ve made a mess of our lives? What does God have to say to those who have sinned and are now experiencing the consequences of those sins?

Nearly six centuries before the birth of Christ, the people of Israel found themselves in a similar situation. They turned their backs on God and found themselves in exile in Babylon. The prophet Isaiah had warned them that if they did not change their ways, they would pay. And now they were.

Hear now, the words of God through the prophet Isaiah to a people wasting away in exile:

Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. 4See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 5See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
6Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; 7let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 12For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Isaiah 55:1-13

• In what ways, do we spend money on that which is not bread and labor for that which will not satisfy?

• What is God’s answer to those “wasting away in Margaritaville”?

I'm in Birmingham preparing for Annual Conference now.

Eclectic Echoes -- May 31st

Sorry for the late post, but it has been a crazy busy week! Not to mention there has been a lot of news.

An appropriate model for making a disciple

Facebook Survival Guide for Awkward Adults
Why I took a Facebook Break

Last Survivor of the Titanic Dies

First Person Writing

Barna on Casual Christians and the Future of America I agree that casual Christianity is a concern, but I disagree with his defintion of "casual" which assumes committed Christians share his particular theology.

Labrynth Musings

Getting your current members to invite

Evangelisn't and Evangelisn't Part II

Throwing the "b" card (I've done and will do it again!)
Christmas,Easter and Pentecost Christians

The Paradoxes of Poverty

In UM News:
Did We Get a Quantity Discount on Constitutional Amendments
Don't forget the 40 days of prayer from the young clergy!
What's Your Spirit
Lynn's new blog--Musings by One of God's Scardy Cats
Rock Solid
Keeping it all in the family

The Designing Women Game. Here is my Julia Rant:

I would rather spend two hours sharing fried mushrooms with Bonnie Barros than watch a woman who apparently purchased her intellect at Target for quarter chase twenty-five men with biceps made of tin and heads packed with Raisin Bran.
Because when future generations look upon what we have left for them, which may by then be little more than global warming and millions of non-biodegradable iPods, I fear they will conclude that they would have welcomed bread and circuses if only they had realized the alternative was potato chips and Survivor.
[sits down and crosses arms, but then immediately stands back up]
And let me tell you a little something about romance: Handing out roses like you are a mascot throwing Hot Tamales to the assembled hooligans at an Auburn football game is not my idea of romance. Romance is a man who knows the difference between John Wesley and John Wayne and who is capable of putting on a dress without scratching his head as if he is connecting a speaker without the instruction manual.
So do not ask yourself why I do not particularly enjoy a television show where the assembled male candidates represent romantic prospects inferior to the workers on the night shift at the TGI Fridays in Huntsville. Ask yourself whether, after a lifetime playing with a cultural slinky and dancing on the grave of Scarlet O’Hara you will ever...recover...your dignity.

Congregational Subtext

In family news, here are two articles about my brother's vow renewal service
Dream Wedding
Wedding Celebrates Ancestral Roots

Not so much a laugh as a smile for the week:

Still More on the Constitutional Amendments

Why the UMC should not create regional conferences

Andrew Thompson speaks out on Amendment 1 without the baggage(this is rather long but worth the read)

For my other posts on the amendments:

UM Constitutional Amendments
UM Constitutional Amendments Part II
More On the Amendments
Constitutional Amendments #4
Another View on the Constitutional Amendments

Eclectic Echoes--May 22nd

Abortion Statistics are Changing Should the church's rhetoric?

The Wisdom of the Crowd

Facebook and the Congregation

The Wesley Study Bible and the Local Church

Thin Places and Jesus

I don't want a life that requires much faith

Will anyone be tweeting at the North Alabama Conference?

Advice for New Pastor's from Bishop Willimon, Part III

Things that make you go hmmm . . . The Right Sized Staff

Obama on Faith and Doubt

On the "death" of the New UM Hymnal:
Steve West on a "bridge" hymnal
How to Make a New UM Hymnal Work
ReBe Hymnal

If you haven't yet, please subscribe to the Young UM Clergy 40 Days of Prayer.

Take action on behalf of Burmese peace and justice activist--Walk On

Earl moves from Resistance to Persistence

Prayer Often Is the First Thing to Go -- A Pastor's Confession to which I can relate!

On Taking the College Years Off from church. Many of us (including me) did it, but we don't recommend it!

Messin' with the (UM) System

Does blogging allow for deep thoughts or is it a shallow medium?

Five things the new American Idol did right. I confess I saw the announcement of the winner--however, I also must confess it was the very first time I had ever seen the show!

Now for this week's laugh of the week:

The Puzzle of Ministry

When the kids were younger, I used to keep a jigsaw puzzle out on the dining room table. Whenever one of us had time, someone would sit down and put a few pieces in place. It took time, but eventually we would have a fully complete puzzle with some beautiful or funny picture to admire. Jigsaw puzzles are hard work and time consuming. However, each piece has its own unique and correct place and once all are in place you have such a wonderful feeling of accomplishment! That’s why I love jigsaw, crossword, and Sudoku puzzles! I love the feeling of accomplishment and closure. I love that moment of thinking, “Wow, I’ve (or we’ve) done it!”

Yesterday, I was talking to a pastor of a new church start and he shared about the importance of getting the right people in the right spots so the new church could take off. At 19, New Life is still listed as a new church start, but it is fast approaching adulthood. However, I am still struggling with getting the right people in the right spots. We are currently in our first year of Natural Church Development (NCD) and the congregation indicated that our minimum factor was gift-based ministry—in other words we’ve done a poor job of getting the right people in the right spots. After much input from the congregation thought and prayer by our health team and guidance from our NCD coach, we decided that we needed to help our congregation identify their spiritual gifts. We plan to do this a number of ways. One way is using the Serving from the Heart curriculum from Church of the Resurrection. We have already had about 20 adults take the course as well as an equal number of youth, so we are on our way. They also suggested I preach a series of sermons on Spiritual gifts, which I began earlier this month and will conclude this Sunday.

The results of this effort were not exactly what I expected!!! Our worship leader discerned a call to work with our youth—which is great—but that means she has to give up working with the praise band—leaving an empty spot to fill. Our children’s director informed me she intended to resign at the end of July. I hate to lose her in that position and wanted to try and talk her out of it then she said something to the effect, “I’d been thinking about this a long time . . . and then your sermons on calling and spiritual gifts confirmed this for me.” I wanted to cry!!! I had hoped for more right pieces to fall into place—not more gaps!

Then I realized something very important, ministry is much more like one of those sliding tile puzzles than a jigsaw puzzle. Remember sliding tile puzzles? I used to have one of the Alamo, purchased on San Jacinto day at the dime store across the street from the Alamo. I HATE sliding tile puzzles! First, even when they are complete, they have are missing a tile! Second, in order to complete the puzzle, you have to mess it up entirely. The entire process involves moving tiles from one place to the next. And while the moves must be logical, you have a complete mess for most of the process. The tiles are constantly moving toward the end result and you don’t ever get that feeling of “aha! That’s it.” In fact, when you get that feeling it usually means you have completed one part in such a way that you can’t fix the others! And this reflects my experience of ministry! You no longer get one thing fixed and working then something else falls apart. You no sooner get one person in the right place then someone else moves or God calls them to a new ministry or their family situation demands they step back and you have to start the process all.

It is enough to make you want to tear your hair out!

Nonetheless (and I HATE to say this), this metaphor makes perfect sense. Ministry, unlike a jigsaw puzzle, is fluid—it’s organic. Our ministries should always be changing and growing and that means change. Sometimes we are called to change what we are doing. Sometimes we are called to change the skill and gift sets of the person doing the job. In addition, Christians are called to grow. God called Abram to leave his home and go to the promised Land, but he called him to move by stages. So too, God often calls us to particular jobs for a season to prepare us for what is to come. The tiles of our lives and ministry slide from place to place and sometimes it appears random and confused, but, if we are following God’s will as best we know, the tiles are being moved toward the goal God has in mind—God’s teleos.

As for that pesky empty hole in the puzzle, I think it remains there to remind us that the puzzle will never be completed by our efforts. No one pastor or church leader can ever complete the puzzle of ministry. There is always room for more! Most importantly, the only piece that will ever complete the puzzle is God.

So back—with God’s help and guidance—to sliding the tiles . . .

Another view on the UM Constitutional Amendments

For my other posts on the amendments:

UM Constitutional Amendments
UM Constitutional Amendments Part II
More On the Amendments
Constitutional Amendments #4

Doing it all wrong?

Christian musician, Shaun Groves, posed a question on his blog: "Our Witness?" which begins with a picture of a third world pastor with the caption "This guy is doing it all wrong" and then continues with picture after picture of the work begin done in third world churches and contrasts it with our model of a successful church.

And Dan Dick wonders if the church (specifically the UM Church) is suffering from theological root rot with our practical theology (such as that pictured so well at work in third world countries in Shaun Groves blog) disconnected from our philosophical and historical theology.

Yesterday, I had lunch with a friend who is at work in the trenches of the projects of Nashville and we were talking about the command that we make disciples and how so much of what we do is TALK about our faith rather than living it.

Shaun Groves challenging blog reminds us of the need to DO what we say we believe, but Dan Dick's reminds us of the importance of thinking about WHY we do it.

For those in the local church, how do we balance both--especially when the majority of our congregants are not especially committed to thinking about why we do what we do or doing anything other than show up on Sunday morning from time to time? (Let me just add how thankful I am for the faithful for whom that statement does not fit at all!!!)

Eclectic Echoes May 15th

It's a rather scary experience, but anyone who blogs knows this feeling:My DS reads my blog along with other People I actually know

Reflections on the recent poll indicating a majority of Christians support torture
life and grace, abortion and torture
How We Think About Abortion

UM Reflections
Bishops Roll Back Wages
An Attack on the Episcopacy
Are UM Bishops Overpaid
How Do You Know If It Worked
Bishop Willimon gives advice to new pastors--part 1 and part 2
Great (and not so great) Expectations in Worship

As usual, some really good stuff at Stuff Christians Like. My favorites this week:
Doubting Doubt
Saving Seats at Church
Getting Tricked into Volunteering at VBS
Making an Idol out of Sports (I confess I have always envisioned Satan in crimson red!--seems appropriate doesn't it?)

Could Green Day Be the Next U2?

Cartoons:
Morning Devotions OUCH! This one hurts!
Quitting Time This one hurts too!

Best Stimulus Package Ever

Dear Christians, This is a Bad Idea

Dr. Awesome gives advice on how to ask out a girl

If Mystery Science Theater did movies from the 80s

And now for the laugh for the week

Preparing for Sunday, May 17th

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. Romans 12:1-8

Paul calls on Christians to present their bodies as a living sacrifice. What does it mean to be a living sacrifice to God?

Paul says that this willingness to sacrifice is “spiritual worship.” How often do you fail to experience true spiritual worship because you are merely present for worship? What would you need to do differently to worship in this manner?

Can you name the spiritual gift(s) that God has granted you? How are you using those gifts? What do you need to learn or discern in order to use your gifts fully?

If you were not a part of the body of Christ, what would your congregation be missing?

Do you have a number 2 pencil?

For everyone taking finals or who have ever taken finals! (Please excuse the mild language but it was too good to not post!)

Constitutional Amendments #4

On Amendment 1: UMC Amendments or Brokenness

On Amendment 19 which grants the right to vote to some local pastors, associate members and provisional elders and deacons: Thinking Constitutionally

For my other posts on the amendments:

UM Constitutional Amendments
UM Constitutional Amendments Part II
More On the Amendments

Ecletic Echoes -- May 8th

Sitting at the feet of Rabbi Jesus

Cartoon: Fireproof

Jesus, Swine, and the Lord's Supper

Andrew reflects on how practice makes perfect or how genius is made not born.

Religion of Hatred

Real Live Preacher on Quakers

A Christian's Lament over the Pew Torture Poll

Mainliners don't torture but they don't pray either!
On praying at civic events

Life, Grace, Abortion and Torture

Death by Deism

Leading In a Culture of Change

Internet Monk on the Sin We Love to Hate

10 Stats More Disturbing than Swine Flu

Tony asks Mentoring or Teaching?

The appeal of origin stories: Kirk, Locke, and Wolverine

10 reasons why real Moms are much better than TV Moms.

Dr. Awesome helps Michelle find her Mr. Awesome

Reflections on the UMC:
40 Days of Prayer for the UMC
Are We Bold Enough to Be Fools?
Living the Questions
Faith in Flux
Women Still Pioneers as Senior Pastors
Women Mentoring Women (a wonderful video featuring Marlu Scott--one of my Vandy buddies)

Finally, In memory of Dom DeLuise
And in his memory, our laugh for the week


Image: After A May Rain by Frances Tucker at University of the Arts

Preparing for Sunday, May 10th

This week we continue to explore our calling and our spiritual gifts. Our Scripture this week is the beginning of three chapters dealing with Spiritual Gifts.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. 3Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Let Jesus be cursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. 4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. 1Cor 12:1-11

• Why do you think Paul is telling Christians that no one speaking by the Spirit of God would ever say, "Let Jesus be cursed"?
• While Paul did not know anything about our current doctrine of the Trinity, notice that he seas of varieties of gift-same Spirit, varieties of services-same Lord, and varieties of activities-same God. Why do you think he is emphasizing these varieties and their connection to God?
• What is the connection between spiritual gifts and God's grace?
• What are the purpose of the spiritual gifts?
• Notice the order of the gifts mentioned by Paul. This list is not exhaustive by any means, Paul will list other gifts in other letters. What do you think he may have been trying to say with this particular list and with this particular order?
• Chapter 13, the "love" chapter often used at weddings, is actually the second of the three chapters dealing with spiritual gifts. What does love have to do with it?

More On The Amendments

Richard Heyduck supports Amendment 1 for a different reason

John Wesley Slider opposes the amendment because "membership "lite" results in membership decline."

David Livingston on the Worldwide Nature of the Church Amendments

For more on the amendments, see my other posts:
UM Constitutional Amendments
UM Constitutional Amendments Part II

March of the Unqualified

This week, we began our sermon series on vocation and spiritual gifts: March of the Unqualified

Eclectic Echoes--May Day Edition

For all the band geeks out there: Don't mess with the Marching Band Girls! You can do serious damage with a clarinet!

Church Lessons from HGTV (see even men can learn something from this wonderful station!)

Internet monk reflects on his latest attempt to become a complimentarian.

Lovett Weems on Congregational Integrity

The British Methodist Church seeks to connect faith with daily work

This I truly don't understand! A Pew Study which reveals that white evangelicals approve of torture

Jon at Stuff Christians Like reflects on the problem with equating bad times with bad people.

Bishop Woodie White reflects on suicide.

United Methodist Women seek change in denominational relationships

The UM Judicial Council affirms that UM clergy cannot perform same sex unions.
Jack reflects on that ruling.

Know of any women church planters? We have one in our district, but are there any others?

The Naked Pastor reflects on how visiting churches is like dating.

Read this testimony of how a Kaiaite Jew came to be baptized.

The Story of Ehud for Kids

The Trouble with "Christian America"

Get Thee To a Nunnery: The Shakespeare Insult Generator

Laugh of the week:

Swine Flu and Us

Well, Phillip and Laura experienced what is now being referred to as "the Most Expensive Bus Ride Ever"! Since Fall, the band students at Buckhorn have been working toward a trip to Orlando at a cost of approximately $500 for each student. On Wednesday, they loaded up the bus and drove to Paint Rock (say 10 miles) before receiving a call to return home because two six years old in Madison may have swine flu which is probably only as serious as normal flu.

I am baffled that they would force them to abandon their trip resulting in disappointed kids who had worked hard for this trip and the waste of a large amount of money (assuming 80 kids and chaperones, we are talking $40,000 just for Buckhorn. Two other schools also had to return.) However, malls and restaurants and professional sports still goes on!

Needless to say, many of us are a bit aggravated. Here is a 31 News story featuring Phillip's girlfriend, Christina, and her mom.

Image: Swine Flu by Bruce Eagle at Northern Star Art

Preparing for Sunday, May 3rd

Beginning this Sunday,I am leaving the lectionary to focus on Spiritual Gifts.
This week, we begin a series of sermons concentrating on our call to ministry and the spiritual gifts God grants all Christians. We begin by considering our own call. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul:

26Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Cor 1:26-31

By baptism, all Christians are called to ministry by God. What does it mean to be called by God?

What do you find surprising in God’s call on your life? What would others find surprising?

Have you ever taken time to consider your own call?

We used to speak of finding one’s vocation—a word which means “calling.” Now, we speak of careers. What difference, if any, would it make in your life, if you were to think in terms of calling instead of career? Would it change your attitude toward your daily work? Would you feel any need to change your work or your lifestyle?

Just some things to consider this week!

UM Constitutional Amendments Part II

I plan to continue sharing views on the amendments as I find them. So here is a video by Bishop Scott Jones in favor of the amendments.


And a Wesley Report response.

On a similar vein:Another perspective on the amendments

Let me add that none of these views are necessarily mine (in some cases I still haven't decided). And I have discovered that is generally easier to find the opinions of those who oppose the amendments than those who support them. Obviously, since they passed General Conference, this may not be an accurate picture of the support for the amendments.

If you know of other articles, please let me know.

UM Constitutional Amendments

This year at Annual Conference, we will be voting on 32 amendments to the United Methodist Constitution! 32 amendments can be rather overwhelming. Luckily, there are fewer actually issues at stake. However, there are a number of issues at play that are not obvious to those of us who are not knowledgeable about the different factions fighting for control of the denomination.

So today, I will share a variety of links to thoughts on the amendments. I am not sharing any particular point of view and if you know of some others please let me know. I'm gathering these primarily for my reflection and prayer and that of New Life's Lay Member to Annual Conference (this is her first Annual Conference!), but thought I'd share with others what I have found. And hopefully you can share with me what you have found.

So here they are--in no particular order:

Overview Article from The Interpreter

West Ohio Conference gives an overview of the amendments and their rationale

Dan Dick on Amendment 1 and the Temple of Doom

Maxie Dunnam on Amendment 1

John Meunier on how paragraphs 4 and 214 are different.

Maxie Dunnam on the 23 amendments relating to the World Wide Nature of the UMC

Robert Sparkman's (Hartselle First) position paper on the amendments.

Steve West's (Grace) position paper on the amendments

Eddie Fox, world director of evangelism for the World Methodist Council,on the worldwide nature of the church. You can also find a video here.

Bishop Scott Jones on why he supports the world wide nature of the Church amendments.\

A Report from the Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table to the General Conference

The Nicene Creed and the Worldwide Nature of the UMC

Article by Linda Greene on considering a new church structure

Good news article on Amending Away our Global Church

Rationale to oppose

Methodist Thinker articles: here and here

Rainbow Christians In favor of amendment 1

On extending voting rights to Local pastors, provisional and associate members. (But not to all--I confess I'm concerned about some having the right and not others)


Well this should get us started!

Eclectic Echoes--April 24th

Planning a men's retreat any time soon? Check out Dr. Awesome's Manly Men Retreats

Bono's post-Easter reflections. Check it out even if you aren't a U-2 fan.

Adam Hamilton asks "What's Your Purpose?"

Bishop Willimon on a faith based on the testimony of women.

Dan Dick asks "Do United Methodists Really Want to Be Disciples?" and the answer is disturbing!!!

The Silence of the Lambs--why isn't the Church speaking out on issues of race?

Shakespeare was wrong! A rose by any other namne would not smell so sweet! Check out this interesting research on the impact of gendered words on our experience of the world!

The Well-meaning Bad Parent

Roger Ebert reflects on why he neither believes nor disbelieves in God.

Preachers and Misfits, Prophets and Thieves: Why you should pay attention to ministers in Southern Fiction

Cartoon: Jesus please don't take the wheel!

Jon reflects on Calling Someone Anointed

Earl Freeman has a new blog and reflects on the challenge that his wife, his daughter and Jesus bring to his understanding of ministry.

A Challenge for Public Speakers

Reflections on Earth Day

The Susan Boyle Narrative

If you are going to Panoply tomorrow, be sure and check out Faith Rising at 6:30!

You! are my next sermon illustration

Speaking of which--here is this week's laugh (another one from Hospital Church)

Mama's Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Pastors

So it's been one of those months . . . And a conversation I had recently with someone who informed me that " . . . some people have REAL jobs" is still echoing in my mind. And quite honestly there are days when I do wish I had a "real" job. A real job with regular hours (and perhaps only 40 of them!). A real job where you most often know what to do next because everyday isn't a new challenge. A real job where you have the authority to do what you feel is right without having to convince a hundred or more (or a thousand or two) people that this is the right move while they threaten that they or someone else (usually nameless and faceless) will leave. A real job where you get merit raises and awards for doing the job well.

All that to say that some days I miss having a "real" job!

One of the most annoying things for me about some folks who object to women pastors is that they seem to think that we might dream up a need to be a pastor. Only people who have never been a pastor or part of a pastor's family could ever think such a thing! Why would anyone in their right mind chose this life? (Reminds me of a friend who said that the UMC requires psychological testing for candidates for ministry to ensure that we are crazy enough to do it!)

However, truth be told, I wouldn't/couldn't do anything else. Despite the frustrations and the bad days (weeks, months . . ), God has called me to this ministry and I am privileged to have a front row seat watching God at work in the world and in people's lives. And when folks say, "I just don't know how you can go to the hospitals and the funeral homes," I realize that they don't understand how powerfully God is at work in those places and times! When they say, "I don't know how you can stand up there and speak," I realize they don't know that I failed at every public speaking attempt in my life prior to ministry! My ability to simply stand and speak in front of a group is a result of God calling and empowering me to do it! For the past 10 years, I've found myself time and time again in my car going to do something I didn't particularly want to do and was scared to death I couldn't do because God called me to go. And the amazing thing is every time I do, I find God went ahead of me and enabled me to do whatever I was called to do-despite myself.

Strangely, funerals, hospitals, and counseling are not the things of ministry that make me want to pull out my hair and run away. Generally, it is the much more mundane tasks that wear me out: meetings, meetings, complaints, whining, and did I mention meetings? Nonetheless, God is also at work in all those things too! And when I listen, I learn and I am changed.

And I am grateful to God that I have a calling rather than a "real" job. (NOTE: I believe ALL jobs can be callings! Being a pastor just happens to be my calling!)

But it has been one of those months, so I truly appreciated Lillian Daniel's article at Faith and Leadership and most especially enjoyed the video she shared:

The Difference a Teacher Can Make

With three kids aspiring to be teachers, I am aware more than ever of the difference good, passionate teachers can make in the lives of children.

And in the wake of Susan Boyle's inspiring debut at age 47, my heart is warmed to see a teacher helping children achieve their dreams much earlier! So I couldn't wait until Friday to share this great video of music teacher, Gregg Brainberg and his PS22 chorus. As Eugene Cho says in his blog;

“Why wait till 47 - a la Susan Boyle.” Invest in kids. Believe in kids. Love on kids. Build them up. I was reminded of a quote from Frederick Douglass: It is easier to build strong children than it is to repair broken men (grown-ups).

For more of PS22's music, check out their blog.

Easter 2

Ants in the Pants of Faith

Off to See the Wizard

We are on our way to Birmingham to see Wicked.

Eclectic Echoes-- April 16th--After Tax Edition

So grab a cup of coffee or tea--or your teabag if you prefer--and check out these items from the worldwide interweb.

What's in a word? I do believe my daughter is a textrovert!

Shoutin' Methodists This reminds me of Nanny, who used to point out whenever the opportunity came about, that the "other side" of her granddad's family were shoutin' Methodists but we were most definitely not!

What's your NPR name? I had a hard time figuring out the smallest foreign town I have been to -- Sherilla St. Catherine

Tradition! Tradition!

Faith in God helps Anxiety
Teleprompting Prayers

15 Film Production Credits Explained--I always wanted to know who the key grip was!

Star Trek Jokes For Craig!

Thinking, Learning, and the Future of Christian Education

Why aren't your people inviting people to your church?

Busy Mom's Balance Family and Faith

Finances--What would Wesley Do?

The inspiring story behind the Scottish Church Lady

Reverend Billy's plan to strengthen local banks

Reflections on UMC
Lowest Common Denomination
Studying the Bible as Wesleyans (this is a podcast of Bishop Willimon's presentation)
Getting Back to Wesleyan Basics
Are there Wesleyan Basics Worth Reclaiming?


Reflections on Scripture
Do you love Jesus or are you merely fond of him?
Christ is Risen! Run Away
Limping and Praising
Bishop Willimon on the God who refuses to be done with us

And for the laugh of the week--something you don't expect--the Spanish Inquisition!